Safety cutout switch



Dec. 6, 1949 v B. H. CLARE SAFETY cUToUT swITcH Filed June 3, 1949 E BG- YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlllllllh Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE SALFETYCUTOUT SWITCH BenjaminA H.: Clare, Wellsville, Moi

Application J une 3, 1949,SerialNo. 96,838

(CL 20o-161) 5 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved safety cutout switch, especiallybut not necessarily for use in automobile electrical systems, to provideetlicient and convenient means of quickly and easily disconnectinganelectrical system from its current source, such a battery, to protectthe system against short circuit damage or other undesirable condition,while inactive, and upon the occurrence of an emergency.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a switch of the abovecharacter having'. novel construction and relative arrangement andcoactionof component parts, whereby the action of the switchis renderedmore eici'entand reliable.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of aninexpensive and rugged switch of the above indicated character whichinvolves relative movement of a minimum number ofsimple, longelivedparts.

Other important objects and advantageousffeatures of thev invention willbe apparent from the following description and appended drawings,wherein, merely for present purposes of' illustration, a specicembodiment of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, showing the switch inclosed position, and taken along the line I-I- of Figure 2.

Figure 2`V is a horizontal section taken through the' upper part ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectionl taken along the li-'ne 3-3- ofFigure 2..

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken l along the line 4'4- ofFigure 31; and

Figure 5` is a perspective view of thecover.

Referring in detailtothe drawings, the illustr'ated switch, generallydesignated 'F comprises an angle bracket s adapted to be secured to asupport, such as the rewall 9` of an automobile, with horizontal arm I0supportably" engaging the underside of the switch housing, wherebyv thehousing is mounted in the engine compartment or other suitable place.

The switch housing comprises a rectangular block I2 of insulatedmaterial, whi'chis centrally trawersedv near oneend by vertical mountingbolts I3, I3v passing through the arm- I Il of' bracket E.

The underside of the block I2 is` covered by an f insulating sheet orplate I4' overlying the bracket arm I'Il' and servingV to concealandinsulate the otherwise exposed head of a 'bolt-vhereinafter describeditsshown in. Figures 1 and 2, theendffoi the 65 top of ther block I2 remotefrom the attaching or mounting bolts I3, I3 is overlaid by a pair oftransversely elongated conductive plates I5 and I6 which extendsubstantially the full width of the block and having contiguous edgeselectrically spaced. The plates l5 and Iii are each secured in place: byas'cr'ew I'I threaded' through the middle thereof into the block I'2. Inaddition, each of the plates I5 and i6 has secured thereto correspondingbinding posts I8, I9, respectively, the post I8 serving to connect theground strap or cable I Ilv toA the plate I5, and the post I9 serving toconnect the plate i6 to cable 2l of the starter motor or the like. Theposts i8 and I9 traverse their plates and are threaded into the block I2whereby the plates I5 andv I6 are locked against shitting relative tothe block l2 and relative to each other. The binding posts I8 and I9 arelocated along the opposite longitudinal edge oi the block -I2 from thecircuit making and breaking mechanism.

This mechanism comprises an assembling nut and bolt unit 22 whose -bolt23 is threaded upwardly through the block I2, as shown in Figure 1, withits head 24 ilush with the underside of the block and concealed andprotected by the insulating plate I4. Overlying both of the plates I 5and IIi and reachin-g toward the left in Figures 1 and 2` beyond theplate I5, is the at relatively ilexible contacter strip or bar 25traversed by the bolt 23 and having a positioning flange 26 on its righthandv end engaging the contiguous edge of the plate I6 to preventlateral displacement of the bar 25;

Thel right hand portion of the bar 25 is longitudinally overlaid by astrong leaf spring 2l also traversed by the bolt 23 with a spacer 28intervening between the bar 25 and the spring 2l. A depending heel angeE3 on the spring 2l engages the' spacer to preclude lateral shifting ofthe Spring 21. A downwardly bowed toe 30 on the free end of theY spring2l bears downwardly upon the4 contactor bar 25 with suicient force toassure positivev and; reliable bridging contact of the bar 2'5'l withboth of' the contact plates l5 and I6. A spacer 2f9' overliesthe spring2l on the bolt 23, ancla nut 23 is turned down on the bolt 23 againstthe spacer/tftv to secure the associated parts in assembled: relation.

The free- -end of the contacter bar 25 Vhas an upturnied'blfu-rcatedLspiral 3l providing journals for transverse rollers 32, 32 on a pin 33xed at the elbow 34 of' a vertically positioned belcra'nk lever 35, thelower'enfd of whose lower short arm carries va; 'trans-verse pin 3'6journallifng rollers-"31,

31 on opposite sides of the arm to roll upon the upper surface of theblock I2.

The longer upper arm of the lever 35 has an insulating extension 3Btelescoped thereon and having on one side thereof at its upper end arotatable connector 39 for the pull rod or wire 40, working through aflexible conduit 4I secured through the instrument panel 42 or the likeand terminating in a knob 43.

The movement of the belcrank lever 35, in a plane perpendicular to andlongitudinal with respect to the block I2 and contactor bar 25, isguided by a slot 44 in the top of a cover 45, secured over one side ofblock I2, which serves also to enclose and protect the make and brakemechanism and the underlying area of the top of the block I2. The otherside of the top of the block I2 is left uncovered.

The box-like cover 45 is elongated rectangular in form and includes adepending nange 46, 4t" on one side and its ends to engage correspondingends and a side of the block I2 to which the ilange is secured by screws4l, 41 threaded into the block.

With the operating knob 43 pushed in, as shown in Figure 1, the belcranklever is tilted toward the right hand end of the slot 44 and the spring21 keeps the contactor bar 25 in bridging relation to the contact platesI5, IE thereby establishing a circuit between the battery cable 2S andthe service cable 2I. When the knob 43 is pulled out, the lever 35 istilted toward the left hand end of the slot 44, thereby causing therollers to roll upon the top of the block I2 toward the right,

whereby the axis of the journal 32 is elevated and the free end of thecontactor bar flexed upwardly enough to remove the contactor bar 25 frombridging contact with the contact plates I5 and I6, thereby breaking thecircuit between the battery cable and the service cable 2i. To restorethe circuit, the knob is returned to its pushed in position.

What is claimed is:

l. A safety cutout switch comprising an insulated block adapted to bemounted on a support, a pair of transversely extending contact platessecured to the top of said block in spaced airgap relation, conductorconnecting means at one end of each of said plates, a make and breakassembly overlying the opposite ends of said plates, said assemblycomprising a flexible contactor bar mounted on said block at one endnear one of said contact plates with its opposite end free, meanselectrically connecting said one plate to said contactor bar, saidcontactor bar overlying said one contact plate and the other contactplate with its free end reaching beyond said other contact plate, springmeans mounted on said block near said one contact plate and urging saidcontactor bar into engagement with and bridging relation to both of thecontact plates, a vertical lever having a roller on its lower endbearing upon the top of said block near the free end of said contactorbar, and pivot means pivotally connecting the free end of said contactorbar to an intermediate part of said lever whereby said lever can beswung in a vertical plane in one direction to roll said roller upon thetop of said block and thereby displace said pivot means upwardly fromthe top of said block so as to ilex said contactor bar upwardly out ofbridging relation to said contact plates.

2. A safety cutout switch comprising an insulated block adapted to bemounted on a support, a pair of transversely extending contact platessecured to the top of said block in spaced airgap relation, conductorconnecting means at one end 'of each of said plates, a make and breakassembly overlying the opposite ends of said plates, said assemblycomprising a ilexible contactor bar mounted on said block at one endnear one of said contact plates with its opposite end free, meanselectrically connecting said one plate to said contactor bar, saidcontactor bar overlying said one Contact plate and the other contactplate with its free end reaching beyond said other contact plate, springmeans mounted on said block near said one contact plate and urging saidcontactor bar into engagement with and bridging relation to both of thecontact plates, a vertical lever having a roller on its lower endbearing upon the top of said block near the free end of said contactorbar, and pivot means pivotally connecting the free end of said contactorbar to an intermediate part of said lever whereby said lever can beswung in a vertical plane in one direction to roll said roller upon thetop of said block and thereby displace said pivot means upwardly fromthe top of said block so as to ilex said contactor bar upwardly out ofbridging relation to said contact plates, said spring means comprising aleaf spring longitudinally overlying said contactor bar having a freeend bearing upon the top of said contactor bar, and common meansmounting said leaf spring and said contactor bar on said block.

3. A safety cutout switch comprising an insulated block adapted to bemounted on a supfport, a pair of transversely extending contact platessecured to the top of said block in spaced airgap relation, conductorconnecting means at one end of each of said plates, a make and breakassembly overlying the opposite ends of said plates, said assemblycomprising a exible contactor foar mounted on said :block at one endnear one 4of said contact plates with its opposite end free, meanselectrically connecting said one plate to said contactor bar, saidcontactor bar overlying said one contact plate and the other contactplate with its free end reaching beyond said other contact plate, springmeans mounted on said block near said one contact plate and urging saidcontactor bar into engagement with and bridging relation to both of thecontact plates, a vertical lever having a roller on its lower endbearing upon the Itop of said block near the free end of said contactorbar, and pivot means pivotally connecting the free end of said contactorbar to an intermediate part of said lever whereby said lever can beswung in a vertical plane in one direction to roll said roller -upon thetop of said block land thereby displace said pivot means upwardly fromthe top of said block so as to ilex said contactor bar upwardly out ofbridging relation to said contact iplates, said lever consisting of abelcrank with said pivot means located at the junction of Ithe arms ofsaid belcrank 4. A safety cutout switch comprising an insulated blockadapted to be mounted on a support, a pair of transversely-extendingcontact plates secured to the top of said block in spaced airg-aprelation, conductor-connecting means at one end of each of said plates,a make-and-break assembly overlying the opposite ends of said plates,said assembly comprising a flexible contactor bar mounted on said block1at one end near one of said contact plates with its opposite end free,means electrically connecting said one plate rto said contactor bar,said contactor bar overlying said one contact plate and the othercontact ,plate with its free end reaching ibeyondsaid other contactfplate, spring means mounted on said block near said one contact plateand urging said contactor bar into engagement with and bridging relationto both of the contact plates, a vertical lever provided with movablebearing means on its lower end movably bearing upon the top of saidblock near the free end of said contactor bar, and .pivot meanspivotally connecting fthe free end of said contactar bar to anintermediate part of said lever, whereby said lever can be swung in avertical .pl-ane in one direction to move said movable Ibearing meansupon the top of said lblock and thereby disp-lace said pivot meansupwardly from the top of said block so as to flex said contactor barlupwardly out of bridging relation to said contaot rplates.

5. A safety cutout switch comprising an insulated block Iadapted to bemounted on a support, a pair of contact plates secured to the top ofsaid block in spaced relation, conductor connecting means carried fbyeach of said plates, Ia make-and-break assembly overlying said plates,said assembly comprising a flexible contactor bar mounted on said =blockand having one end portion thereof electric-ally connected to one of thelplates and overlying the plates, the other end portion of saidcontacter bar extending beyond the other fplate, spring means urgingsaid contactor bar into engagement with and bridging relation to both ofthe contact plates, a vertical lever provided with movable bearing meanson its lower end m-ovably bearing upon the top of said block near thefree end of said contactor bar, and pivot means pivotally connecting thefree end of said contactor bar to an intermediate part of said lever,whereby said lever can be swung in a vertical lplane in one direction tolmove said movable bearing means -upon the top of said block and therebydisplace said pivot means upwardly from the top of said block so as toflex said contactor loar upwardly out fof bridging relation to saidcontact lplates.

BENJAMIN H. CLARE.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis pate-nit:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

